World Journal of Zoology 6 (2): 108-116, 2011

ISSN 1817-3098
© IDOSI Publications, 2011

Wildlife in Ethiopia: Endemic Large Mammals

Melaku Tefera

College of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box: 144, Haramaya University, Ethiopia

Abstract: This study documented species riches of endemic large mammals and their biogeography,
conservation status and threats in Ethiopia. Overall there are 280 mammalian species and subspecies 31 are
endemic. Out of this, 12 of them are endemic large mammals, namely Canis simensis, Theropithecus gelada
gelada, Theropithecus gelada obscurus, Capra walie, Capra ibex, Capra nubiana, Eurus assinus africanus,
Equus assinus somalensis, Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei, Tragelaphus baxtoni, Tragelaphus scriptus
meneliki, Loxodonta africana knochenhaui and Panthera leo abyssincum. Regarding the conservation status
of these animals Equus assinus africanus and Panthera leo abyssincum were extinct in wild another 2
Theropithecus gelada gelada and Tragelaphus baxtoni fall in presently least concern the rest 8 were in
endangered category. Wildlife populations in Ethiopia are under continuous threat, despite the presence of
parks and protected areas, over the past several decades, deforestation, farm expansion, draught and illegal
hunting were widespread and they were ranked in order of severity from most severe to lesser threats. It is
recommended that community based wildlife conservation is an important solution. However, for self sustaining
ecosystem benefiting the people around the park although important, the ultimate goal should be to educate
them.

Key words:Biogeography Biodiversity Community based conservation Extinct Habitat loss National
parks

INTRODUCTION Tanzania are among the top 25 endemic-rich countries of

Manifold as the landscape is the Ethiopian wildlife.
Ethiopia is one of the world's rich biodiversity countries
and it deserves attention regionally and globally [1, 2]. It
has a very diverse set of ecosystems ranging from humid
forest and extensive wetlands to the desert. Ethiopia has
a total land area of 1.22 million hectares, with a varied
topography from 116 m below sea level at the Afar triangle
to 4533 m above sea level at mount Ras-Dashen. Alpine
and mountainous vegetation vary with coniferous and
broadleaved forests, vast savannah, steppes and deserts
are interrupted by lakes and intersected by permanent and
seasonal rivers accompanied by galley forests [3]. The
variations in climate, topography and vegetation have
contributed to the presence of a large number of endemic
species. Ethiopia’s high faunal biodiversity reflects the
existence of a large number of species of mammals and
other higher vertebrates. This in turn reflects a diversity
of habitats, created by differing combination of elevation,
rainfall, geology, soil surface and ground water. Ethiopia
is among the world leaders in terms of richness and
endemism of mammalian species [4]. Ethiopia and
the world in terms of higher vertebrate species where as
Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are individually,
among the world leaders in terms of species richness and
endemism of mammal species [5]. However, wildlife
population in Ethiopia has diminished over the past
century both in amount and distribution through loss of
habitat, hunting and land clearance for farming; land
degradation due to overgrazing is also intense. The forest
cover of Ethiopia declined from 47% to only 3% [6]. Even
more important to conservationists, many endemic wild
species occur within the country some of which inhabit
only very small areas. In Ethiopia, 40 protected areas
(National Parks, Animal Sanctuaries and Area Enclosure)
cover roughly 16.4% of the country’s land area (186,000
km2). These areas face many challenges due to growing
populations, border conflicts and recurring drought. A
chronic and growing issue for Ethiopia’s largely pastoral
people is local access to grazing lands [7, 8]. Given the
recurring nature of conflict between conservation and
local communities, it is critical that conservationists better
understand local views with respect to wildlife and
protected areas.

Corresponding Author: Melaku Tefera, College of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box: 144, Haramaya University, Ethiopia.
Tel: +251- 0914 722459 / 251-0255530334, E-mail: melaku22@yahoo.com.
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 World J. Zool., 6 (2): 108-116, 2011

Mammals are often the first taxa to be listed for a site.

Ethiopia does contain, within the national parks one of the
Tigray
world largest concentration of large mammals [5]. But, a 
complete inventory does not exist and endemism are not Afar
well documented. The study of the species richness,

endemicity and rarity across geographical areas is Amara
Benshangul
essential to select the best places for conserving
biodiversity [9], besides wildlife are not evenly distributed Addis
 Dire Dawa

throughout the country but instead vary in abundance, Ababa
composition and these aspects are also not well Gambela 
  Somali
documented. For this reasons the objective of this study
Oromia
Debub
was to investigate the current conservation status, threats  
of endemic large mammals, factors involved in community 
  
based wild life conservation and assess the economic
potential of wildlife in Ethiopia, with particular emphasis
on endemic large mammal species and subspecies.
Fig. 1: Approximate spots of National parks and Animal
MATERIALS AND METHODS sanctuaries
(1)Awash, (2)Bale Mountain, (3)Gambella,
In this study, only critically threatened endemic large (4)Omo, (5)Siemien, (6)Abijata –Shalla, (7)Mago
mammals were considered. Data were collected using and (8)Nechisar National parks and
Participatory Rural Appraisal PRA [10]. The following (1)Desdessa,(2)Harar, 3) Kuni, P(4)Senkelle,
Parks and Sanctuaries were considered: (1) Abijata-Shalla (5)Yabelo, (6) shire, (7)chew bahir Wild life
National Park; (2) Awash National Park; (3) Semien sanctuaries
National Park; (4) and shire Sanctuary for park location
(Fig. 1). A total of 40 people 10 people per park with areas and household demographic questions and
people coming from, in and nearby parks have household’s source of income were incorporated in the
participated on first come first serve basis in an interview questionnaire.
questionnaire survey and in group discussion for problem Additional data were also collected from available
identification. Matrix score ranking and mapping of secondary data and information has been collected by
habitats, benefits, sabotages and the different threats in scanning available literature. The main source for data
the park were assed. Also local people’s perception on was the checklist of mammals of the national parks. Data
wildlife, wildlife conservation, management of protected was also collected from Individual interviews with staff of

Extinct
Critically
Extinct in endangered

Adequate Threatened Endangered

data
Vulnerable

Conservation
Evaluation

Lower risk Near threatened

Least concern

Data deficent

Fig. 2: Flowchart for determination of conservation status Not evaluated

the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ethiopia wild life authority, park attendants and

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 World J. Zool., 6 (2): 108-116, 2011

Wondogenet College of forestry. Conservation
status was determined according to International
Union for Conservation [10]; the guidelines are
summarized on Data was compiled and descriptive
statistics was made.
RESULTS
The populations in and around Semien National Park
were agriculturalists as it is located in the highlands.
While, in Awash National Park which is located in the
lowlands livestock herding was important. The majority of
the people practiced mixed agriculture crop-livestock
forestry and some off farm activities as depicted on
Tables 1, 2. The main threats to the animals in the
park were draught followed by farm expansion and
increased settlement the results are shown on Table 3.
In addition Shire sanctuary is the most vulnerable to
threats followed by Awash National Park. The attitude of
the people to wildlife and park was positive except
push factors two most important factors for
contravention of park policy were land misappropriation,
lack of benefit from park as shown on Table 4. Counter
reaction of the local people dissatisfaction towards park
was that manifested in the form of sabotage the main ones
are driving away the animals at night and they also cut
trees as shown on Table 5. The various benefits needed
by people in and around park were school, roads and
clinic in that order (Table 6). However, for short term
benefit they need fodder and fire wood. The contribution
of local people in and around the park to conservation of
forest and wildlife were services like guarding, reporting
illegal activity such as poachers above all tree planting
was ranked number one as shown on Table 7. The
distribution map of the wild animals in the park was found
not to differ from the literature, the main reason was parks
do not conduct inventory of wild life regularly.

Table 1: Household demography and lively hood

National parks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Awash Simien Abjata-Shala Shire Mean % Rank
Agriculture% 30 70 40 60 50 1
Forest Product% 10 10 20 10 25 3
Wage labor% 10 10 10 10 10 4
Animal husbandry% 50 10 30 20 30 2

Table 2: Pair wise ranking of subsistence patterns in all parks

# Subsistence mode
1 Agriculture
2 Forest / wildlife Product
3 Wage labor
4 Animal husbandry
1 2 3 4 Score Rank
2 3 4 17 1
3 1 5 3
4 3 4
15 2

Table 3: Main wildlife threats in and around the park*

National parks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Threats Awash Simien Abjata -Shalla Shire Total score Rank
Farming 5 5 4 5 19 2
Hunting 5 3 4 2 14 5
deforestation 5 4 5 5 19 2
Fire 2 1 4 1 8 6
draught 5 5 5 5 20 1
Over population 5 3 4 3 15 4
Increased settlement 5 4 3 4 16 3
Total 28 24 27 29
Rank 2 4 3 1
* Criteria were weighted from 1 (least important) to 5 (most important) according to their relative significance

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Table 4: Reasons for contravention park policy by people Table 6: People’s benefits from park and sanctuaries
Contravention Rank Needs and Benefits Rank
School 1
Damage caused by wild life to their crops (Birds and antelopes 7
Clinic 3
Perdition of farm animals by wild carnivore 6
Other Forest product 12
Punishment by sanctuary staff 5 Roads 4
Non local park attendants 8 Electrification 2
Land miss appropriation Loss of land for park territory 1 Income from tourists 6
No benefits from the park 2 Job opportunities 7
Unfair distribution of park revenue 3 Transport during emergency 8
Fodder 9
Lack of compensation for damage 4
Honey 10
Cutting fire wood 5
Table 5: Types of sabotages created by displeased people Loans borrowing money 11
Sabotage Rank
Table 7: Contribution of local people to parks maintenance
Drive away animals 1
Contribution Rank
Kill animals 3
Planting trees 2
Cut trees 2
Respecting the law 1
Set fire 5
Reporting illegal activity 3
Attack park staff 4 Guarding 4

Table 8: Abundance, conservation status and endemism of wildlife in Ethiopia

# Taxonomy
Canis simensis
Theropithecus gelada gelada
Theropithecus. gelada obscurus
Capra walie Capra ibex Capra nubiana Walia walie
Equus assinus somalensis
Equus assinus africanus
Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei
Tragelaphus buxtoni
Tragelaphus scriptus meneliki
Loxodonta africana Knochenhauri
Panthera leo abyssincum
[12]; [13]; 14]; [1];
Synonym Habitat/altitude Population/ Status Treats
Ethiopian Wolf, Simen Jackal Afroalpine (Bale, Arsi, Semyen 400 endangered Small population, diseases such
(3000-4000m) as rabies, interbreeding with dogs,
loss of habitat
Gelada Baboon, Edges and steep slopes or precipices 20,000-30,000 Hunted by man for their mane
Lion Monkey (Simyen, Debresina, Debrelibanos Presently Least Concern
(2800-4600m)
Simyen (2300-4000m) 500 endangered Hunted for meat, horn and
destruction of habitat by local people
African Wild Ass Desert (Danakil along Awash 200 C2
river in to Ogaden as far as Critically endangered Hunted for meat, traditional medicine
Shebelle river competition with domestic animals
African Wild Ass North Ethiopia Extinct in wild Some in zoo? Hunting, loss of habitat
Swayne’s Hartebeest Danakil, Rift valley lakes, Alledeghi, 600 Least Concern Destruction of habitat by
Awash valley human beings
Mountain Nyala Dega Agazin Mountain forest Arsi, Bale (3000-4000) 4000-5000 Endangered Destruction of habitat
Menelik’s Bushbuck Dukula Highland forest, Bale and Savanna Not known due to Destruction of habitat
(Up to 4000m) nocturnal life Destruction of habitat, by human
African Elephant Mago national park 300 Endangered settlement poaching
Ethiopian Lion Previously inhabiting the western Extinct in the wild now are Inbreeding, Disease and mismanagement
part of Ethiopia only found in Addis
Ababa Zoo
[15]; [16]; [3]; [17]; * [11]

The abundance, conservation status and threats to
wildlife are shown on Table 8. Ten out of twelve endemic
large mammals (83%) are under endangered list. Tow
subspecies are extinct in wild Panthera leo abysinicum
(five lions of this subspecies are found at Addis Ababa
zoo) and Few numbers of Equus assinus africanus are in
zoos around the world. However, there are also other
subspecies in the country which are endangered but non
endemic. According IUCN classification there are 94 large
and small mammalian species endangered in Ethiopia, 18
species are endemic. That is 8 species of the non endemic
are also endangered. For quicker identification photos of
the animals is shown on Figure 3. One can identify the
large ears of Loxodenta africana, the ventral main of
Panthra leo abisinicum, the leg strips of Equus assinus
somalensis, the head mains of the lion monkey
Theropithecus gelada gelada. The unique horns of Cpra
ibex, Tragelaphus boxtoni and Alceluphus buselaphus.

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 World J. Zool., 6 (2): 108-116, 2011

Fig. 3: Pictures a-h showing: (a) Alceluphus buselaphus swaynei, (b) Tragelaphus boxtoni, (c)Equus assinus somalensis
(d) Capra walie (e) Panthera leo abyssincum, (f) Canis simensis, (g) Theropithecus gelada, (h) Loxodonta
africana, respectively

Fig. 4a-f: Maps showing the habitat range of (a) Elephants circular area shows Loxodonta africana Knochenhauri,
( b) lions, circular area shows former range of Panthera leo abysinicum (c) shows location of Tragelaphus
boxtoni and Tragelaphus scriptus meneliki (d) represents the habitat of Capra walie (e) depicts Equus assinus
somalensis (f) Shows the home range of Canis simensis.

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 World J. Zool., 6 (2): 108-116, 2011
Figure 4 depicts the biogeography of the endemic
mammals. The animals are found in limited pockets in
much localized areas mainly Bale, Semien, Nechisar,
Awash and mago national parks. The most abundant
endemic mammals are the Gelada and Nyala. The Gelada
have a greater range of habitat While Nyala is limited in
Bale National park.
DISCUSSION
Out of 280 mammals found in Ethiopia 8 are domestic
mammals the rest 272 are wild mammals. 11.3% are
endemic wild mammals or 34.5 % are endangered out of
this 31 of the 94 species 11. %, (n=31) are endemic
mammals. Of the total mammals 34.5 are endangered
(n=94). Unfortunately all endemic mammals were
endangered category, among these five are larger
mammals (Walia Ibex Capra walie, Theropithecus gelada,
Tragelaphus buxtoni and Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis)
and the rest (83.9 per cent) are smaller ones including 2, 9
and 15 species of bats, insectivores and rodents,
respectively[18]. Panthera leo abisinicum and [17] and
Equus assinus africanus [19]. While there are few
remnants up to 200 E. assinus somalensis, its surrogate E.
assinus africanus extinct in the wild and the two are
differentiated by their distinct future leg stripe and
shoulder stripe respectively.
The larger mammals are mainly concentrated in the
south and southwest peripheral border of the country; in
fact, out of the 9 national parks, only 2 are not in the dry
lands. For this reason they are prone to drought this
makes them prone to migration and extinction. Given the
restricted distribution and potential small size of
population, these endemic species are most likely to be
susceptible to anthropogenic environmental degradation
[20].
There are also plentiful games along the stretch of
the Great Rift Valley System. Mountain massifs in the
north are also home to endemic species of mammals,
particularly the Walia Ibex, Canis simensis and
Theropithecus gelada. Hunting has been a major factor in
reducing wildlife numbers in the past. Both by local
people and European hunters were shooting large number
of game animals (for trophy, ivory, skin for trade,
protection of crops and livestock). Uncontrolled hunting
(poaching) was also a problem. At present many other
factors are involved including climate change. This
pattern of change mirrors that for the entire continent
where the population of black rhino has shrunken from
60,000 to 4,000 over the last two decades, the elephant
113
population is declining at the rate of 10%/year and many
other previously abundant species are now either
completely or locally extinct or gravely threatened [21].
The greatest overall threat to wildlife is the loss of
habitat. Draught is accelerating shrinkage in forest areas,
continent-wide, 65% of wildlife habitat has been lost [21].
In eastern Africa the growth of human settlements and
cultivation is removing land from use by wildlife and is
constraining access to migration routes and wet season
dispersal areas around national parks such as the Semien
and Bale. This does not only reduces wildlife numbers
generally but also, by concentrating wildlife especially
herbivores within parks, places severe pressure on natural
ecosystem [22]. Habitat deterioration through
deforestation, overgrazing by livestock and pre-empting
of dry season water supplies by agriculture and stock
raising also strongly contribute to the depletion of wildlife
numbers Simonetta and Simonetta, 1983, (Cited [22]).
Although most wildlife in Ethiopia still live outside of
parks, the area available for wildlife conservation outside
of protected area has decreased considerably, in southern
Ethiopia little wildlife occurs outside of protected areas.
Many species traditionally viewed as common are
also showing dramatic falls in their numbers and habitats
have become shrunk like the case of the Mountain Nyala.
Declines in common species indicate the widespread
deterioration of our environment. Some people had the
negative attitude towards birds particularly towards
Baboons for the damage they cause to crops and hyenas
for predation of animals. A decline in the quality of the
habitat can be as detrimental as the loss of the habitat
itself, for example through grazing by livestock and illegal
logging.
The main threat to Ethiopian wolf is breeding with
domestic dogs from the nearby settlement area a good
indicator for the increased settlement in park area [8]. The
past civil war in Northern Ethiopia and non-enforcement
of game laws during that time has undoubtedly further
aggravated the decimation of wildlife. In Ethiopia, the
various ecosystems of high biological importance need
strong conservation action. Because, our current
practices on agriculture and forestry management are not
sustainable for the environment and biodiversity. The
fences-and-fines approach to wildlife protection is now
perceived by many conservationists to have failed in
Africa [6]. An alternative approach whereby rural
communities are given ownership rights or custodianship
and management responsibilities for the resource has
been introduced under the name Community-based
Wildlife Management. However this is not self sustaining,
 World J. Zool., 6 (2): 108-116, 2011
the most critical point is that how to satisfy the people
around the parks as resources shrink obviously these
people will not halt from invading the sanctuaries and
national parks.
Humans have an obligation to protect fellow
creatures whether they have intrinsic value or not.
However, whenever there is an opportunity to generate
revenue it could serve as benefit to local people.
Generally, wildlife has the potential to significantly
contribute to both local and national economies. Wildlife
in eastern Africa have a major aesthetic value to tourists
who want to see and appreciate wild game species,
especially if this can be done within their natural
environment/ecosystem or some approximation if not
establishing zoo is equally relevant. Wildlife provide a
variety of goods such as hides, skins, ivory, horns, meat
traditional medicine and subsistence hunting 1% in
Ethiopia [22]. The life-support services provided by
natural ecosystem such as disposal of wastes and cycling
nutrients. Predator control, germination of grasses, by
opening dense forests creating new habitat. For example
the spotted hyena crucuta crucuta are everywhere in
Ethiopia they scavenge on dead animal carcass and house
wastes decontaminating the environment. The main
advantage of wildlife is utilization as an alternative land
use is possibility of increasing income without increasing
animal biomass and thereby placing undue pressure on
the environment. This is possible because wildlife species
are better adapted to their environment than domestic
livestock. In some habitats, which have little available
water and/or are infested with tsetse fly, wildlife flourish
where livestock can no. Wildlife are less likely to degrade
the environment also makes more efficient use of available
food resource than any nonspecific herbivore community,
such as cattle Herlocker, [22]. This includes better control
of woody species. The recreational/aesthetic importance
of wildlife may be its single greatest economic value [5].
Wildlife has the potential to contribute to local and
national economies. The revenue generated from wildlife
vis a vis neighboring countries is insignificant in Ethiopia.
Wildlife-based tourism is central plank in the
economies of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda [23]. For
instance, national parks are the mainstay of Kenya’s
tourism industry [23], which is the second largest earner
of foreign exchange next to agriculture. Tourism
attributable to Kenya’s wildlife parks and reserves earned
roughly $ 208 million dollar during 1989-1992 Griffith and
Southey, 1995 (Cited byHerlocker [22]). Wildlife- based
tourism has also benefited some local economies as is the
case with the Narok Country Council, which earns 90% of
114
its income from the Massai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya
[24]. In Ethiopia, there is no well organized wild life
tourism. There is shortage of hotels and roads. Although
tourists are able to view a wide Varity of wildlife within the
region, certain individual species appear to be especially
important to tourism industry. For example, each lion in
Amboseli Park in Kenya generates a direct value of
$27,000/year in tourist revenue while elephants generate
$610,000 Western and Henry, (1979) (cited by
Herlocker[22]).
Establishment of zoo has two advantages
recreational and Conservation. Ex stiu conservation
efforts, with reintroduction programmes designed to
rehabilitate animal species in the wild, has some success
rates [25, 26]. Ex situ conservation serves as a gene bank
to provide the germplasm for establishment of wild
relatives of animal species in their natural habitat. At the
sometime wild animals kept in zoo benefit secure living
place. And can generate income from displays.
As with tourism, safari hunting is a high value use of
wildlife, which does not depend directly on total animal
biomass. It is the most lucrative from wildlife utilization
and most easily implemented assuming that desired
trophy species are present. Safari hunting can provide
local communities with high returns with little investment.
Tourist hunting plays a large and growing role in the
economy of Tanzania where in 1992, it generated revenue
to the government $5.34 million and to the industry as a
whole $13.96 million, which does not include the benefits
to other sectors of the economy, such as hotels [22].
The cropping of game for the commercial production
of meat is another economic use of wildlife. It can be
carried out in conjunction with livestock raising or in
locations where economically viable livestock production
is not possible, as in areas that are waterless, disease-
ridden and/or otherwise of low productivity (and
generally communally owned). Game cropping is also
carried out on a large number of private ranches in South
Africa and few in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. This
activity is based on the fact that wild game and livestock
managed on the same area provide the highest maximum
possible biomass/unit area especially if the game species
have different eating habits preference than livestock. The
giraffe for example does not compete for grazing with
domestic animals as it is a browsing animal.
Only few African species, such as eland, gazelle
and buffalo, have ever been domesticated [5] a
number of species, which have been either domesticated,
or semi domesticated within the region. These include
impala, Grants gazelle, Thomson’s gazelle, Fringe-eared
 World J. Zool., 6 (2): 108-116, 2011
Oryx, African Buffalo and, African civet and ostrich.
Most of these species provide meat, while the civet
provides musk and the ostrich provides meat, skin and
feathers.
Over the last decade or so increasing efforts have
been made to make local communities responsible for the
conservation and management of wildlife within their
areas in return for which they will benefit directly from the
receipt of hunting fees, sale of wildlife products and local
employment (such as tourism industry or as park rangers).
The assumption is that if local farmers and pastoralists
benefit directly from wildlife populations in their area they
will be more willing to ensure their conservation and
management on a sustainable basis.
In Conclusion, there are good moral, aesthetic,
economic and ecological reasons for conserving wildlife.
Wildlife are important economically primarily because
their management provides for possibility of increasing
income without having to increase animal biomass, which
might place undue pressure to the environment. The
principal economic uses of wildlife are: (1) tourism, which
is possibly the single greatest economic use; (2)
displayed in zoo;(3) domestication of game species; (4)
safari/trophy hunting, which is most lucrative and easiest
to implement and (5) game cropping.
From the revenue generated local people should get
benefits from the conservation and management of
wildlife. Although there has been some success in this,
doubts exist as to whether such activities will be able to
continue over the long without outside help or even it is
biologically sound to base human needs, which will grow,
on harvesting wildlife populations which will not grow.
Indeed, the strong correlation between protected area
benefits and local community support is critical to
sustaining conservation efforts. Community-based forest
management constitutes a powerful paradigm that
evolved out of the failure of state forest governance to
ensure the sustainability of forest resources and the
equitable distribution of access to and benefits from them.
But Benefits might not always available, there is always
risk. The best strategy is to educate the people.
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